Can We Live Here?

This is a question we often discuss while we are enjoying our new destination as we run all over the world.  First I need to describe what I mean by the word, live.

For Catherine and I, who have been on the road for over three years, live is a relative word.  Some could say we are living now on the Island of St. Kitts.  Granted we will only be here for 7 days but for us, this is where we are living now.

For sake of discussion when I ask, “can we live here”, I am thinking more long term. Not like others, when they retire, they are more thinking, can I die here.  In other words, live somewhere until they die.

Not for us.  We will probably be on the road until we can no longer do so.  I can’t imagine being pushed around in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank but hope to be able to run/walk all over the world well into my 80’s.

Both my parents did so and Catherine’s Mom, who is 82 just met us on Tybee Island last month.  She also ran a faster half marathon at 63 than I can do now at 62.  I digress.

As I mentioned in my previous blog entry called, Three Years and Counting, I figure we can keep up this peregrinated lifestyle for another 5 years.  Hopefully, for us, it will be a matter of when the money will run out.

Catherine and I both have a pension and with Social Security and great health care we can live somewhere very comfortably with the occasional trips to visit our grown children and for now her grandchildren.

We are now running all over the world on our combined savings.  During the first three years, our cash burn rate has been over $500 dollars a day.  This year is shaping up to be about the same but it is my hope, as we start to stay longer in each place, to bring that number down.

Presently we are on destination number 304 at day number 1125.  That does not include all the places with have seen on various cruises but that does mean we have packed and unpacked our bags every 3.7 days.

I am thinking after 5 years maybe we can stay/live somewhere for a month or two at a time.  St. Kitts is definitely on the shortlist.  As a matter of fact, we are already planning on coming back for a week and staying at the nearby St. Kitts Marriott Resort.  We have stayed there before and just found out that they have a senior rate for those over 62.

For whatever reason, I thought the senior rate started at 65 so now I need to go back into the dozen or so Marriott reservations and make the change.  The Courtyard that we use in ATL offers a 99 dollar UPS rate so I doubt the senior rate would be lower than that.

We did look at another Marriott property right next door to the Marriott Resort that offers long-term, more than a month, apartments.  Marriott Residence St. Kitts has it all.  We are looking at coming back in January of next year for a month as a test run.

Our trip here started with a fun-filled morning sailing with Miles on his Yacht off of Cockleshell Bay.  He gave us some time to go snorkeling and see the island of Nevis up close.  We spent some time on Reggae beach and Spice Mill beach prior to ending the day with afternoon tea at the Park Hyatt Hotel.  I had my first experience with a sugar coma from the three tower desert extravaganza.

My younger looking older sister

With our mixologist Manisch

Another over the top meal was had at a fabulous resort on the other side of the island called Kittian Hill.  It is called, Farm to Table.  You are met alongside this very long table with a glass of wine as you overlook the adjacent farm where the chef could be seen picking some herbs for the upcoming 12-course meal.

When we all took our seats the Chef described what he and his assistants had prepared for us and then the feast began.  That was probably one of the finest meals I have ever had.  The two couples adjacent to us invited us all to their place for an after-dinner drink and all that I can say is that it was a jaw-dropping two bedroom complex including both outdoor and indoor showers.

My sister, Gwen, and sister-in-law, Joan own a place at Oceans Edge Resort on Frigate Bay.  They had two friends staying with them so she arranged a great studio for Catherine and me for the first 5 nights.  They are going to rent their unit out for the rest of the year to some teachers from Dominica.

Since the hurricanes totally destroyed their island the local schools here have taken over their education, while they rebuild.  Since Gwen is semi-retired and Joan, after coming off a sabbatical, last year, and has to work this year, they will probably start spending more time here next year.

The area around their property, which is just down the road from the Marriott has it all.  Beaches, restaurants, bars and grocery stores.  The only drawback is lack of sidewalks.  There is an adjacent golf course and we did not get chased off their cart paths during our morning runs.

Infamous

Another place we love to visit for drinks and or dinner is a place called Salt Plage.   Here Catherine was able to get her dog fix and we all enjoyed another fantastic sunset.  They have a number of signature drinks and dingies come and go from the nearby vessels in Christopher Harbour and adjacent marina.

Catherine and I were able to get in some great runs and walks around the area.  I am starting to get my stamina back and my right knee with my new strap is still cooperating.    With the temps in the 80’s I am looking forward to seeing how I can do with temps in the 50’s to 60.  One walk was over to the cruise terminal with a goal to take a picture alongside a life-size, namesake, Tony Parker display outside of the Tissot watch store.

I was here back in 2015 with my running cruise buddies and wanted a picture from then and now for comparison.  As you can see below not much has changed, NOT.  I must admit I do look much older with all the gray but still young at heart.  We often joke about the fact that even though Gwen is 5 years older than me, I call her my younger looking older sister.

When we finished up our 7 days here I would say and sure Catherine would agree that we could live here.  Maybe not for the rest of our lives but at least for a month or two at a time.  It has all the things that I look for.

It is warm and we have the ability to run here.   It has reliable Cable and Internet on the island.  Heat is not much needed here but they do have great AC units in their indoor facilities.  They do have drinkable water and lots of places to eat out along with many grocery stores nearby.

Even though we don’t usually swim in big bodies of water we do love to watch and hear the waves nearby.  Friar’s bay with Timothy beach and the infamous Shiggidy Shack is nearby.  Another favorite is Carambola Beach Club and that is one of the favorites with the cruise ships.  I would rather live someplace that had a great mass transportation system but the fact that their cabs have set zone pricing and are everywhere works for me.

Both of the Marriott complexes have great exercise equipment and pools you can actually do laps in.  It goes without saying that the locals and tourist are both very nice to each other.  Last but not least for me is the fact that I did not bit once while here.  That is a big plus for me since everywhere else we seem to get bit a lot.

We are off to ATL in a few hours and then on to Bloomington to visit with Catherine’s daughter and three grandchildren.  My son Shawn and his wife Cassie are also going to drive over from Cincy to celebrate early birthdays for him and Catherine’s grandson, Adam.

After that, we are back to ATL for a two more days then back to the Caribbean for three weeks.  Two on Windstar Cruise and one week on Royal Caribbean with a brief stop in MIA prior to that.

The answer to the title of this blog entry, Can we live here? is a resounding

YES